Thick and Creamy Potato Bacon Soup Recipe

Winter weather means soup.  For my family, soup usually means something extremely hearty that sticks to your ribs and will keep you warm through a cold night on the Great Plains. (Which, if you’ve never experienced it, gets very cold indeed!) For me the king of all rich and hearty soups is this potato bacon soup. Loaded with bacon, butter, cream and every other heartwarming hing I could think of. This is my take on it.

This soup is filling, very filling.  It’s incredibly thick, sumptuous, rich and warming. It’s slightly thicker than most potato soups and the bacon adds a certain richness to the earthy flavor of the potatoes that I don’t think ham quite accomplishes, though it’s the more traditional addition to this dish.

A warning, though.  If you’re looking for something light, this ain’t it.  There’s enough cream and butter in this potato bacon soup recipe to make staunch dieters cower in fear, and your cholesterol levels may never be the same again.  Having said this, I only recommend this as an occasional treat.  One you’ll savor when the weather is chill and the nights are long.  It’s not every day fare, it’s comfort food at the highest level, with the calorie count to match.

That’s probably why it’s so soul satisfyingly good.

This recipe makes enough potato bacon soup to serve about eight people, but don’t worry about scaling back if you’re only serving one or two.  It freezes extremely well and  easily stores frozen for three to six months in airtight containers. That way it’s just waiting for you the next time the weather gets seriously chilly and you’re in need of a wintertime boost of soothing, satisfying warmth.

Yield: 8 servings

Thick and Creamy Potato Bacon Soup Recipe

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

This rich and creamy potato bacon soup is sure to warm your heart from the inside on even the coldest winter night.

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Ingredients

• 1/2 pound (1/2 package) thick cut pepper bacon, cooked until crisp and chopped
• 2 - 3 Tablespoons Bacon drippings
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 5 pounds russet or red potatoes, peeled and cut in 1-inch cubes
• 32 ounces chicken stock (approximate)
• 1/2 pint heavy cream
• 1/8 pound (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Cook bacon using preferred method until crisp. (I bake thick cut bacon on a cooling rack over a sheet pan so that it remains flat). Allow to cool and chop or crumble into small pieces. Reserve several tablespoons of drippings.
2. Place a large soup pot or heavy casserole over medium heat. Add 2 tbsp. bacon drippings and cook onions, stirring frequently, until translucent. Add garlic and cook another 2 minutes, stirring often. (Add more bacon drippings if onion looks dry. This will depend on the size of your pot and particular onion.)
3. Add potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally for a few minutes. When everything is sizzling nicely, add enough stock to just cover potatoes. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for approximately 15 to 20 minutes or until potatoes are fork-tender.
4. Mash potatoes roughly with a potato masher. Scoop out about half of the remaining mixture and puree in a blender (in batches!) or food processor. (Or if you've got an immersion blender, go for it with that.) Make sure to leave a good bit of the potatoes chunky, for texture.
5. Add butter and heavy cream. Stir to combine well. Taste for seasoning and add more stock if soup is too thick for your liking. When the consistency is right for you, stir in bacon and bring to just a bare simmer, stirring often.
6. Serve hot. Garnish with additional crumbled bacon and some chives or green onions.
7. Share and Enjoy!

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 455Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 44mgSodium: 373mgCarbohydrates: 65gFiber: 5gSugar: 8gProtein: 13g

What I would have done differently had I thought of it at the time:

I wish I’d had some fresh parsley on hand for a garnish.  Lacking that, the onions and bacon did just fine.

Expect to see a few variations on this recipe over the winter.  It’s really my basic potato bacon soup recipe.  There are many more ways to mix this one up for something completely different!

Links to other potato bacon soup recipes: 

• Potato Soup with Bacon and Vegetables, from European Cuisines
• Hearty potato Soup with crumbled Turkey Bacon, from The Good Eatah
• Loaded Baked Potato Soup, from bitchincamero